TOPIC:“The Use and Misuse of the Gift of Tongues” (Part II)
by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap
TEXT:Acts 2:1-13
“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4, NIV).
The charismatic movement has exploded. Its growth is phenomenal. Tongues speaking is now popular in mainline protestant denominations, and get this, even the hierarchy in the Roman Catholic Church has now accepted it as a practice. Many people have asked for my views, counsel and guidance as to what I believe the Bible teaches regarding the gift of tongues. In these two messages I have tried to give sound biblical instruction regarding this gift of speaking in tongues.
We are presently trying to find biblical answers to these questions: Is the modern tongues movement a valid and genuine thing? Is it for the church of today? Is it for every Christian? Though many sincere people have claimed the experience of speaking in tongues, are we to doubt their experience? Have they been misled and misguided regarding the gift of tongues? In coming to grips with this subject let us remember the guiding words of A. B. Simpson who wrote: “We must make the Lord Jesus Christ - not gifts, and surely not the least of the gifts - the object of our constant attention.”
We have already considered the development, description and duty of speaking in tongues. Let us now continue our search for answers to some of these perplexing questions.
I.
Consider, to begin with, the DURATION of tongues. Tongues came into existence as a genuine gift of the Holy Spirit. The question we now seek to answer is not whether tongues are a reality, but is speaking in tongues a gift for the Christians of today. This question has caused considerable confusion and is constantly being debated by believers of all denominations. Let us examine this question by presenting both sides of the issue.
There are those who believe that speaking in tongues is to be PROHIBITED. To many informed and dedicated Christians tongues were only a temporary gift of God to His church for a limited period of time. These believers convincingly believe that the ability to speak in tongues was limited and restricted to the Apostolic age. They are persuaded that God withdrew the gift of tongues during the early days of the church. They believe that tongues are not for this present church age, but passed away with the completion of the New Testament canon because the gift had fulfilled its purpose in the divine plan of God. Let me list some of the reasons why a great number of our outstanding Christian scholars believe that tongues faded out of existence during the first century.
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